Electric railway.



PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

INVEN+R ATTORNEY I No. 884,646. PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

A. c. EASTWOOD.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1907.

WITNEESESZ N T R g/ZVJ 1 7 fir/i fia/ll ATTO R N EY THE NORRIS PETERS cc., WASHINGTON, n. c.

ARTHUR O. EASTWOOD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed February 23, 1907, Serial No. 358,779.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. EAsrwooD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric railways.

In my pending application for patent, Serial No. 340,469, I have described and claimed an electric railway wherein a number of motor-driven units or cars may be distributed in a train and all of the driving motors may be controlled from a common point through the medium of a stationary control conductor parallel with the railway. This control conductor is divided into insulated sections of such length that only a single train will operate on a given section at any time, this construction being adapted to prevent interference between control circuits of.

adjacent trains. In my said application, I have shown the sections of the control con ductor as overlapping and the various motor driven cars provided with duplicate contact shoes so that the control circuit will not be opened in passing from one section of the control conductor to the next.

My present invention provides means whereby neighboring sections of the control conductor will be automatically coupled together while a train is passing from one section to the neXt and will be automatically uncoupled when the transition from one section to another is completed. By means of this invention, the overlapping of the sections of the control conductor is eliminated.

In my application for patent, Serial No. 355,396, I have described and claimed an electric railway wherein power is distributed from a power unit traveling with a train, to the Various driving motors on the train, the power being distributed to the motors through a stationary power conductor and the various motors on the train being controlled through a stationary control conductor. In this application, I have divided both the stationary power conductors and the stationary contro conductors into insulated sections having their ends overlapping to a distance equal to the length of the longest train to be operated.

My present invention provides automatic means for coupling together successive sections of both the stationary power conductor and the stationary control conductor while a train is passing from one section to the neXt.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram of connections of a railway provided with a stationary control conductor and equipped in accordance with my present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram of connections of a railway having both a stationary sectional control conductor and a stationary sectional power conductor. Fig. 3 is a modification showing the use of a local stationary battery for operating the coupling switches.

In Fig. 1, G G are the traction rails of the railway. N is a power conductor (either a rail or trolley wire) through which together with the rails G G electric power is transmitted along the railway. A is the electric generator which supplies current to the power conductor and the rails G. M, M M etc. are sections of the stationary control conductor, the ends of which sections being adapted to be connected together by the respective switches S S ,S etc. Each of these switches is normally held open by a weight 8 and will close when the magnetizing winding of its operating solenoid s is excited. One end of this winding is connected to the adjacent section of the control conductor; the other end is connected to an insulated section G, between the adjacent ends of one of the rails G, this section G being slightlylonger than the longest car to be operated so that, when a train is passing from one section to the next, the insulated section G will be connected to the opposite rail through the trucks of the successive cars of the train. B represents the control battery carried by the leading car of the train, K the operating controller, and R the reversing switch, one end of the battery B being connected to the rails G through the trucks T. Various members of the battery cells in battery B may be connected between the rails G and the control conductor M through the controller K, the reverse switch R, and the contact shoes m and m which are carried by the car and cooperate with the control conductor. hen a train is passing from one section to the next (for instance from section M to section M as indicated), the insulated rail section G will be connected to the opposite rail G by the trucks T. There will be a difference of potential between the rails G and the control conductor M the amount of which will depend upon the position of the controller K. The coil 8 of switch S will then be excited and the said switch will close and remain closed so long as the insulated section G of rail G is connected to the opposite rail by the trucks of the passing cars. As soon as the last car of the train has passed over the insulated section G, the winding 8 will be no longer excited and switch S will be automatically opened by the weight 8. As the train progresses the successive switches will operate in a similar manner.

In Fig. 2, in addition to switches S, S S etc. coupling the successive sections of the control conductor switches V, V V etc. are provided for automatically coupling and uncoupling adjacent sections of the stationary power conductor N. A is the electric generator traveling with the train and having one terminal in sliding contact with the power conductor and the other with the rails G through the trucks T The operation of the switches in this figure is identical with that described in Fig. 2, the coils '0 when energized closing the switches V, V etc.

In Fig. 3, a stationary storage battery II is shown for operating the switches of the S and V series, instead of the control battery B carried by the train.

I claim 1. In an electric railway, a motor-propulsion circuit, a stationary control conductor along said railway, said control conductor being divided into insulated sections, and independent of said motor-propulsion circuit, normally open switches for connecting one section to the next, a train, and means controlled by the train while passing from one section to the next, for closing said switches.

2. In an electric railway, a motor-propulsion circuit, a stationary control conductor along said railway, said control conductor being divided into insulated sections, and in dependent of said motor-propulsion circuit, normally open switches for connecting one section to the next, a train, means controlled by the train while passing from one section to the next, for closing said switches, and means for automatically disconnecting said sections when the train has passed from one section to the next.

3.. In an electric railway, a stationary power conductor along said railway, said power conductor being divided into insulated sections, normally open switches for connecting one section to the next, a train, and means including an electric circuit controlled by the train while passing from one section to the next, for closing said switches.

4. In an electric railway, a stationary power conductor along said railway, said power conductor being divided into insulated sections, normally open switches for connecting one section to the next, a train, means including an electric circuit controlled by the train while passing from one section to the next, for closing said switches, and means for automatically disconnecting said sections when the train has passed from one section to the next.

5. In an electric railway, a stationary control conductor and a stationary power conductor along said railway, each conductor be ing independent of the other and divided into insulated sections, normally open switches for connecting the sections of the respective conductors, a train, electro-motive means carried by said train and electrically connected to said power conductor and means actuated by the train while passing from one section to the next, for closing said switches.

6. In an electric railway, a stationary control conductor and a stationary power conductor along said railway, each conductor being independent of the other and divided into insulated sections, normally open switches for connecting the sections of the respective conductors, a train, electromotive means carried by said train and electric ally connected to said power conductor, means actuated by the train while passing from one section to the next, for closing said switches, and means for automatically disconnecting said sections when the train has passed from one section to the next.

7. In an electric railway, a stationary conductor, arranged parallel with the railway and divided into insulated sections, an electro-magnetic switch adapted to connect adjacent sections, a second stationary conductor in the circuit of the electro-magnet, a source of electric energy, a train, and means whereby the said source of energy is connected to the latter conductor while the train is passing from one section to an adjacent section.

8. I11 an electric railway, traction rails, a stationary conductor arranged parallel with the railway and divided into insulated sections, an electro-magnetic switch adapted to connect one section to an adjacent section, an insulated rail section interposed between the adjacent ends of one of the traction rails, a connection between the winding of the electro-magnet and said interposed rail section, and a source of electric energy having one pole connected to said conductor and the other to a return conductor.

9. In an electric railway, a stationary conductor along said railway, said conductor being divided into insulated sections, normally open switches for connecting one section to the next, a train, and means including an electric circuit controlledby the train while into insulated sections, a switch having one i passing from one section to the next, for closing said switches.

10. In an electric railway, a conductor arranged parallel with the railway and divided the contacts of said switch When the train is passing from one of said sections to the other. 10 Signed at Birmingham, Ala, this 19th day l of February, 1907.

ARTHUR C. EASTWOOD. contact connected'to one section and the Witnesses:

other to the adjacent section, a train, and RUTH S. PATRICK, means including an electric circuit for closing 1 BEN LAMBERS. 

